‘McCausland has serious questions to answer’, blasts Bradley

SDLP Assembly Finance Spokesperson Dominic Bradley MLA has said that the DUP’s Nelson McCausland has serious questions to answer and that the public have the right to know the truth saying that the DUP’s actions in attempting to stymie the debate and refusal to come clean are an ‘affront to democracy’ and every other party in the Assembly.Speaking to Newry Times, Bradley explained, “The SDLP and indeed others have raised some very serious questions for the Minister about issues in the BBC Spotlight programme in the Assembly.
“We firmly believe the public have a right to know just how the DUP does business. Why did the DUP put down a petition of concern in a bid to stymie this debate when Nelson McCausland told the Social Development Committee that he would welcome an inquiry?’
“Further the SDLP have questioned the true nature of the relationship between Red Sky and the DUP? What has the Minister done to establish the veracity of Councillor Jenny Palmer’s claims that she was contacted by the Minister’s SPAD when if this was unilateral action by that SPAD it would be a breach of the SPAD code?
“Why did the Minister meet representatives from Red Sky with the First Minister and then say it was not in a Ministerial capacity? Why did the Minister seek legal advice before meeting with the Glass and Glazer’s Federation and will he publish that advice? Has the Minister sought legal advice before taking other meetings and why?
The SDLP MLA continued, “These are very serious questions for the Minister that must be answered now and in full. This is a complete scandal overseen by the DUP and one they have yet to provide any viable answer to other than choke the powers of the Assembly and by doing so stamp in the face of democracy.
“This is the second opportunity the DUP have had to answer these allegations but instead they continue to use their usual ‘attack as defence’ tactics to distract and deflect from the real issue.”
Bradley added, “The SDLP want to see a police investigation into allegations of criminality contained in the Spotlight programme. While the DUP may invoke political chicanery to evade accountability to this Assembly for their Ministerial actions, those accused of wrongdoing must not be able to side-step the rigours of the law.”

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